Fincato

Fincato is the name of the brand that grew out of a tobacconist's shop on one of the narrow streets around Montecitorio, in the historic heart of Rome. What began as a family business has continued under the same surname for three generations, evolving from a mere retail shop into one of the addresses around which Italy's pipe culture has organized itself. Today the name covers both the shop and the limited run of signature pipes it has made.

From Shop to Brand

The business was opened in 1932 by Emilia Fincato. The two-storey premises initially housed two separate trades at once: downstairs was the counter selling loose cigarettes, cut tobacco and Toscano cigars, while upstairs was the tailor's workshop of Emilia's husband, Carmelo. In the 1960s, management of the shop passed to the nephews Fausto Fincato and Bruno Baggio. This generation shifted the business away from tobacco retail and focused it on pipes; in 1971, the floor that had housed the tailor's workshop was converted into a lounge where customers could sit and talk. The lounge is remembered as a gathering spot for well-known figures from the political and artistic world of the day; its visitors are said to have included Sandro Pertini, who would later become President of the Republic.

Fausto Fincato's contribution was not limited to the shop. In 1975 he was instrumental in launching Smoking, a magazine aimed at Italian pipe smokers, and Fincato took charge of its editorial work. In 1990 he was among the founders of the Circolo della Pipa club. Both ventures are counted among the structures that brought together Italy's scattered community of enthusiasts. Records also note that Fincato was born in Padua in 1940; since this detail rests on a single source, it is reported with some caution.